My Thailand

[qwertz]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that have had those good experiences in a thai village.

From what I read on TV, every farang had been treated as a walking ATM in thai villages? My guess was I must be really special. Or lucky?

This only happens to me in tourist spots, not in the real LOS. You only have to look at them and smile when thy're eating, they don't even know your name and they invite you to join them. Do that where I live and you'll likely get a fat lip.

[mike uk]

its the ###### of the world but like flies we keep going back

[qualtrough]

Things I like:

1. The weather

2. Most of the people. They are not 'in your face', and you generally have to go out of your way to find trouble.

3. Being able to summon a motorcycle taxi to run errands: get some butter, run down to the hardware store for some screws, etc.

4. No property taxes.

5. Prices for almost everything.

6. Transport options: Boat, taxi, motorcycle taxi, tuks tuks, train, regular bus, AC bus, subway, skytrain, and my own car. I use most of those (except mocy and tuktuk) all the time to get around in Bangkok. Did I miss any?

7. Trains. I love the trains.

8. Islands. Not far away.

9. Cool mountains. Not far away.

10. Women. Very easy on the eye.

11. Family--Wife and family are good people.

12. Food--Thai food, chinese food, Indian food, Farang food, and fresh fixins everywhere.

13. No snow. No scraping ice off of windows. No starting cars in the dark on subzero winter days...

It's not perfect, but it sure beats back home. If it didn't, I would be back home.

[qualtrough]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that have had those good experiences in a thai village.

From what I read on TV, every farang had been treated as a walking ATM in thai villages? My guess was I must be really special. Or lucky?

You are not the only one. I guess I am lucky too. None of the money issues that seem to be so prevalent for some on this forum. If anything my wife is too stingy. And no money-grubbing from the family. In fact, the mom-in-law bought a car for my wife, and they are not a hi-so family. Just good hard-working people.

[Nignoy]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that have had those good experiences in a thai village.

From what I read on TV, every farang had been treated as a walking ATM in thai villages? My guess was I must be really special. Or lucky?

This only happens to me in tourist spots, not in the real LOS. You only have to look at them and smile when thy're eating, they don't even know your name and they invite you to join them. Do that where I live and you'll likely get a fat lip.

The only time we really get ripped off and treated like a Walking ATM is when we visit UK , it starts straight away at heathrow with the blackcab mafia, we usually last about 2 weeks,bad manners , then we have had enough of bad manners and bad service, so its back to paradise!! a couple of months in Los to wind down, then off to queensland for 3 months for a bit of fishing and Rugby league and top the wifes Cross stitch supplies at Spotlight, then back to thailand for a wellearned rest, It is really tough being a Pensioner!! Nignoy

[ZhangYimou]

I love Thailand, but I dont have to work here. If I had to ride the skytrain during rush hour my love for Thailand would be decreased somewhat.

That said, the heat and the inability to walk anywhere are undesirable.

[qwertz]

I love Thailand, but I dont have to work here. If I had to ride the skytrain during rush hour my love for Thailand would be decreased somewhat.

That said, the heat and the inability to walk anywhere are undesirable.

You want desirable? Come visit east Germany. It's evening and my car's just beginning to frost over. I'll take LOS.

[Nignoy]

I love Thailand, but I dont have to work here. If I had to ride the skytrain during rush hour my love for Thailand would be decreased somewhat.

That said, the heat and the inability to walk anywhere are undesirable.

You want desirable? Come visit east Germany. It's evening and my car's just beginning to frost over. I'll take LOS.

You have my sympathies, would not wish parts of eastern germany on my worst enemy,I worked in the Dresden zoo for a while in the late 70,s when Uncle Eric Honecker was in power, but these days we all have a choice, wine, women and song in LOS or Rum , Bum and gramaphone records in Schwerin, mind you schwerin is very pretty in summer, and thailand has lots of good points too arent we all lucky to be able to choose where we want to spend our future Nignoy

[qwertz]

I love Thailand, but I dont have to work here. If I had to ride the skytrain during rush hour my love for Thailand would be decreased somewhat.

That said, the heat and the inability to walk anywhere are undesirable.

You want desirable? Come visit east Germany. It's evening and my car's just beginning to frost over. I'll take LOS.

You have my sympathies, would not wish parts of eastern germany on my worst enemy,I worked in the Dresden zoo for a while in the late 70,s when Uncle Eric Honecker was in power, but these days we all have a choice, wine, women and song in LOS or Rum , Bum and gramaphone records in Schwerin, mind you schwerin is very pretty in summer, and thailand has lots of good points too arent we all lucky to be able to choose where we want to spend our future Nignoy

Amen to that, Nignoy. Times have changed for the better here but I've been here a long time; I feel the weight of my years and LOS is calling. I seem to have missed most of the bad points there as described by many BMs. And yes it's nice to have options isn't it? You take care of yourself, save some wine, women and song for me, regards to the missus.

Edited March 25, 2007 by qwertz

[Jet Gorgon]

and just to put the record straight, i will say that if i ever decide to marry, my wife will be thai as well.

but im not in any hurry to put that into practise.

Traitor! Didn't you say I would be your first wife?

Srisatch, excellent thread. Thanks for bringing out the best in TV members.

[Nignoy]

I love Thailand, but I dont have to work here. If I had to ride the skytrain during rush hour my love for Thailand would be decreased somewhat.

That said, the heat and the inability to walk anywhere are undesirable.

You want desirable? Come visit east Germany. It's evening and my car's just beginning to frost over. I'll take LOS.

You have my sympathies, would not wish parts of eastern germany on my worst enemy,I worked in the Dresden zoo for a while in the late 70,s when Uncle Eric Honecker was in power, but these days we all have a choice, wine, women and song in LOS or Rum , Bum and gramaphone records in Schwerin, mind you schwerin is very pretty in summer, and thailand has lots of good points too arent we all lucky to be able to choose where we want to spend our future Nignoy

Amen to that, Nignoy. Times have changed for the better here but I've been here a long time; I feel the weight of my years and LOS is calling. I seem to have missed most of the bad points there as described by many BMs. And yes it's nice to have options isn't it? You take care of yourself, save some wine, women and song for me, regards to the missus.

We will be in East germany for 4 weeks in november maybe we can have a Kornchen or 2 together Nignoy

[paveet]

What is Thailand to you?

There are so many threads in which people seem to be trying to 'pin down' Thailand.

Of course it cannot be done, any more than with the UK, Oz, USA. Your country is not the same as someone else's life in that country and there are a multiplicity of experiences

Yet there persists in the threads an inferred inferiority, inadequacy and incompetence about things Thai; and while we laugh at, too, and criticise western countries, there is a tendency to revert to a stance of 'Thailand is not really a serious country'. There are currently running threads-of-the-moment which make fun of the airport, (have you suffered Heathfrow recently?)question whether the minister for IT made racist remarks, worries about the future, the currency, the south, piss testing in Pai and other v.serious matters......I am not so very virtuous but I do think some effort should be made to promote those things that are attractive about LOS.

In spite of Toxin and Juntas, serial coups, persistent corruption, startling pollution, racism and a third world education system LOS survives and thrives, which must surely reflect the durability of Thai 'culture' whatever that might be--and I am sure it is not flags and uniforms, smiles and wais, elephants and nick nacks for tourists etc.

So what is Thailand to you? Why, actually, are you here rather than somewhere else?

Got to be good things here, na?

C'mon List 3 things!

For me It is:

1. My family and their Thai extension. Though I would have them anywhere, they come from here and are unfailingly loving, understanding and supportive in their own way..which is not a farang way..(even though I know they think I am a farang alien!!) No-one here is proposing to send Granny nor me to an Old People's Home. They give me space and peace to be me even if they don't fully understand what that entails. And if things get bad there are monks open for business 24 hours!

2. Apart from occasional needs to deal with immigration I live here undisturbed by Utility Bills, Income Tax Demands, Community Charge-(I am a Brit!) Junk Mail and all other Bureaucracy. Compare with the UK where I cannot change the gutters on my house without planning permission, nor buy a tube season ticket without exposing my identity and movements, nor open a bank account without being suspected of being a terrorist or money laundering! Of course fascism and xenophobia might become rampant here..but that is true of anywhere.

3. When I wake there is heat, sunshine, orange juice and fruit, and other exquisite food, sea, and if I cared to go and search them out, most of the consumer goods and services of the western world at prices a third and less of the UK and probably delivered, and if necessary fitted, within an hour or so…

Maybe there are better places.. for you .. Of course Brazil, China, Philippines, etc let alone 'Back Home' have their claims and of course there are downsides..but I don't see the good things of LOS being much forcefully advocated on these pages! Just a lot of carping!!

Well.. here's a view from the other side. I'm a Thai who spends half the time of the year in studying in the UK. By no means am I here to criticise the UK, I'm just here to state my reasons of why I prefer Thailand.

To me, LOS is my home and this won't change (so don't expect me to be too critical of my own home! ).

Thailand is much more laid back in the UK. You can get away with doing whatever you like (to a certain limit). People seem friendlier and I don't actually really have to worry about being mugged when I go down to London and 'happen to' walkthrough Hyde Park at 5pm (when it got dark a few months ago..) to get to my friend's place. It just feels safer as a place here. Oh and no wannabe chavs.

I don't have to pay GBP2.40 (that's like 160 baht) here just for a ciabatta with some melted cheese + bacon inside it. 30 baht will get me a nice bowl of noodle with red pork in it. Has anyone got back from the UK and said wow.. I love the food in LOS?

The word family actually means a different thing in the western world than in the eastern. Here, family means home and a place you are not expected to move out from at the age of 20. Parents support their children when they go through university while children support their parents when they go through their 60+.

Although this may soon be changing because of the south, but when I live here noone seems to be concerned or worried about terrorism. And mind you those who complain about the airport here, I have suffered 1.5 hours of queueing at Heatrow just to have my carry on bag security check last Thursday. Oh, and someone had a bit of a fight (well.. quite loudly arguing..) about queues because the person's wife went out of the queue to go to the toilet and came back to the same place in the queue (where her husband was standing).

I don't have to look up MSN weather just to see what I have to wear out today (pull over + coat, pull over or sweat shirt + pullover + coat).

CHEAP TAXIS!!!

But Thailand is far from perfect:

Road accidents

Incompetence of the workforce (yes, I knwo this because of techicians trying to fix things in my house)

Corruption+current political situations (although I can tell you quite a lot of people in Bangkok including myself have no problems with it.. i even strongly argue that we have much higher freedom of speech than somewhere like Singapore or Malaysia at the moment despite what the international reports may say)

Problems in the South (I see a threat in this one though.. but i'm not convinced the bombings in Bangkok (new year) had anything to do with them)

Pavee

Edited March 26, 2007 by paveet

[qwertz]

I love Thailand, but I dont have to work here. If I had to ride the skytrain during rush hour my love for Thailand would be decreased somewhat.

That said, the heat and the inability to walk anywhere are undesirable.

You want desirable? Come visit east Germany. It's evening and my car's just beginning to frost over. I'll take LOS.

You have my sympathies, would not wish parts of eastern germany on my worst enemy,I worked in the Dresden zoo for a while in the late 70,s when Uncle Eric Honecker was in power, but these days we all have a choice, wine, women and song in LOS or Rum , Bum and gramaphone records in Schwerin, mind you schwerin is very pretty in summer, and thailand has lots of good points too arent we all lucky to be able to choose where we want to spend our future Nignoy

Amen to that, Nignoy. Times have changed for the better here but I've been here a long time; I feel the weight of my years and LOS is calling. I seem to have missed most of the bad points there as described by many BMs. And yes it's nice to have options isn't it? You take care of yourself, save some wine, women and song for me, regards to the missus.

We will be in East germany for 4 weeks in november maybe we can have a Kornchen or 2 together Nignoy

That's a yes, if I'm not in LOS at that time. Look forward to it.

[meemiathai]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that have had those good experiences in a thai village.

From what I read on TV, every farang had been treated as a walking ATM in thai villages? My guess was I must be really special. Or lucky?

This only happens to me in tourist spots, not in the real LOS. You only have to look at them and smile when thy're eating, they don't even know your name and they invite you to join them. Do that where I live and you'll likely get a fat lip.

The only time we really get ripped off and treated like a Walking ATM is when we visit UK , it starts straight away at heathrow with the blackcab mafia, we usually last about 2 weeks,bad manners , then we have had enough of bad manners and bad service, so its back to paradise!! a couple of months in Los to wind down, then off to queensland for 3 months for a bit of fishing and Rugby league and top the wifes Cross stitch supplies at Spotlight, then back to thailand for a wellearned rest, It is really tough being a Pensioner!! Nignoy

You lucky xxxx!

Oh and last time I was in London, 5 mins in a blackcab and it was 8 pounds. ie 500baht? And people complain about taxis in Bangkok!

[qwertz]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that have had those good experiences in a thai village.

From what I read on TV, every farang had been treated as a walking ATM in thai villages? My guess was I must be really special. Or lucky?

This only happens to me in tourist spots, not in the real LOS. You only have to look at them and smile when thy're eating, they don't even know your name and they invite you to join them. Do that where I live and you'll likely get a fat lip.

The only time we really get ripped off and treated like a Walking ATM is when we visit UK , it starts straight away at heathrow with the blackcab mafia, we usually last about 2 weeks,bad manners , then we have had enough of bad manners and bad service, so its back to paradise!! a couple of months in Los to wind down, then off to queensland for 3 months for a bit of fishing and Rugby league and top the wifes Cross stitch supplies at Spotlight, then back to thailand for a wellearned rest, It is really tough being a Pensioner!! Nignoy

You lucky xxxx!

Oh and last time I was in London, 5 mins in a blackcab and it was 8 pounds. ie 500baht? And people complain about taxis in Bangkok!

And we quibble about 200 baht in Phuket. After the Romans first visited Britain they sent back a warning to Rome that all British chariot drivers were rogues and thieves. This is true.

[Nignoy]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that have had those good experiences in a thai village.

From what I read on TV, every farang had been treated as a walking ATM in thai villages? My guess was I must be really special. Or lucky?

This only happens to me in tourist spots, not in the real LOS. You only have to look at them and smile when thy're eating, they don't even know your name and they invite you to join them. Do that where I live and you'll likely get a fat lip.

The only time we really get ripped off and treated like a Walking ATM is when we visit UK , it starts straight away at heathrow with the blackcab mafia, we usually last about 2 weeks,bad manners , then we have had enough of bad manners and bad service, so its back to paradise!! a couple of months in Los to wind down, then off to queensland for 3 months for a bit of fishing and Rugby league and top the wifes Cross stitch supplies at Spotlight, then back to thailand for a wellearned rest, It is really tough being a Pensioner!! Nignoy

You lucky xxxx!

Oh and last time I was in London, 5 mins in a blackcab and it was 8 pounds. ie 500baht? And people complain about taxis in Bangkok!

And we quibble about 200 baht in Phuket. After the Romans first visited Britain they sent back a warning to Rome that all British chariot drivers were rogues and thieves. This is true.

Came across this photo of a taxi in Schwerin Nignoy